SIA Releases 1999-2000 Sales Figures

October 09, 2000

McLEAN, VA (October 9, 2000) — Sales last winter of junior and kids snow-sports products pulled the industry virtually even with sales of the previous winter, according to the 2000 SIA Sales Survey released today.

Total sales of all products by manufacturers to retailers from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000 were $929 million, off .2 percent compared to 1998-99’s sales of $931 million. Unchanged sales from one year to the next are a dramatic departure from the previous year when sales fell 6.4 percent below the level established in 1997-98. The industry’s sales high-water mark occurred in 1989 with $1.015 billion in sales.

While nearly all the major categories showed slight drops (ski apparel and snowboard apparel showed increases), the robust sales of childrens gear and clothing mitigated the sales numbers for the categories.

Even though sales were unchanged, units showed a dramatic 9.2-percent jump to 22.9-million product units purchased by retailers.

In nearly every category, kids products showed healthy increases: junior snowboard jackets were up 59.4 percent to $2.1 million; junior snowboard pants were up 18.6 percent to $1.1 million; junior alpine skis were up 11 percent to $8.6-million; junior alpine boots were up 1.8 percent to $5-million; junior alpine bindings were up 51.7 percent to $4-million; junior performance cross country skis were up 40.4 percent to $174,000; junior nordic boot/binding systems were up 48.4 percent to $457,000; junior cross country bindings were up 43.6 percent to $152,000; children’s parkas were up 36.5 percent to $20.2 million; and childrens’ ski suit were up 39.3 percent to $3.8 million.

Nearly 140 SIA member companies responded to the 2000 SIA Wholesale Sales Survey. Sports Research Inc., the sports market research firm that has been conducting the SIA Wholesale Sales Survey for the past 16 years, projected data in certain product categories. The projections were made by applying a percentage increase or decrease of sales that are based on a comparison of sales of those companies that reported for both this year and last year.

The other portion of the Wholesale Survey — the SIA Wholesale Orders Survey — is in its final data collection stage and should be generated soon. This survey is the best indicator of pre-season wholesale shipments to the marketplace for the 2000-01 snow sports retail season. Both of these surveys are exclusive SIA member benefits and the full reports are only distributed to participating members.

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is the national, nonprofit, member-owned trade association of more than 800 competing on-snow product manufacturers, suppliers and distributors working together to promote and develop the winter sports industry. Proceeds from the annual SIA SnowSports Show in Las Vegas fund industry development programs. The next SIA SnowSports Show is March 9-13, 2001.